Introductory description

Plasmas are 'fluids' of charged particles. The motion of these charged particles is controlled by the electromagnetic fields which are imposed from outside and by the fields which the moving charged particles themselves set up. This module will cover the key equations which describe such plasmas. It will examine some predictions derived on the basis of these equations and compare these with results from laboratory experiments and with observations from in situ measurements of solar system plasmas and remote observations of astrophysical systems. It will also be important to look at instabilities in plasmas and how electromagnetic waves interact with the plasmas.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

1. Single particle dynamics guiding centre motion and adiabatic invariants. The plasma approximation, waves in plasmas
2. Propagation of EM waves through plasmas
3. MHD description of plasmas and fluid like plasma instabilities
4. Vlasov's equation and micro-instabilities

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Discuss the interaction of electromagnetic waves with plasmas
• Describe single particle dynamics, guiding centre motion and adiabatic invariants, the plasma approximation and waves in plasmas
• Explain the nature of bulk fluid-instabilities with application to confinement devices and astrophysics
• Describe micro-instabilities and their description via distribution functions

Indicative reading list

N.A. Krall and A.W. Trivelpiece, Principles of Plasma Physics, San Fransisco Press/McGraw Hill;
R. O. Dendy. Plasma Dynamics, OUP 1990.

View reading list on Talis Aspire

Subject specific skills

Knowledge of mathematics and physics. Skills in modelling, reasoning, thinking

Transferable skills

Analytical, communication, problem-solving, self-study